U.S. patent application number 12/451677 was filed with the patent office on 2010-07-01 for ic-card holding apparatus, display method,data providing system, server apparatus,and data providing method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sony Corporation. Invention is credited to Miki Abe, Tadao Akagi, Masamichi Asukai, Takashi Fukushima, Taiji Ito, Jun Matsumoto, Yoichiro Sako, Akane Sano, Mitsuru Takehara, Shoji Yoshii.
Application Number | 20100163617 12/451677 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40075105 |
Filed Date | 2010-07-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100163617 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ito; Taiji ; et al. |
July 1, 2010 |
IC-CARD HOLDING APPARATUS, DISPLAY METHOD,DATA PROVIDING SYSTEM,
SERVER APPARATUS,AND DATA PROVIDING METHOD
Abstract
An IC-card holding apparatus improving the availability, the
convenience, and the usefulness of a non-contact IC card. The
IC-card holding apparatus may communicate with a non-contact IC
card held therein to read out information from the non-contact IC
card and obtain the type of the non-contact IC card held therein
and usage history information. The IC-card holding apparatus may
display an image corresponding to the type of the non-contact IC
card. The usage history may also be read out and displayed. For
example, information (e.g., place name or shop name) about a
position where the non-contact IC card has been used may be
displayed and/or the use position may be presented on a map
image.
Inventors: |
Ito; Taiji; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Fukushima; Takashi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Sako;
Yoichiro; (Tokyo, JP) ; Akagi; Tadao; (Chiba,
JP) ; Matsumoto; Jun; (Kanagawa, JP) ; Yoshii;
Shoji; (Tokyo, JP) ; Abe; Miki; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Asukai; Masamichi; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
Sano; Akane; (Tokyo, JP) ; Takehara; Mitsuru;
(Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOLF GREENFIELD & SACKS, P.C.
600 ATLANTIC AVENUE
BOSTON
MA
02210-2206
US
|
Assignee: |
Sony Corporation
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
40075105 |
Appl. No.: |
12/451677 |
Filed: |
May 29, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
May 29, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2008/059867 |
371 Date: |
November 24, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
235/380 ;
701/408 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 21/3682 20130101;
G01C 21/3697 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
235/380 ;
701/207; 701/208 |
International
Class: |
G06K 17/00 20060101
G06K017/00; G01C 21/00 20060101 G01C021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 29, 2007 |
JP |
2007-141505 |
Claims
1. An IC-card holding apparatus characterized by comprising:
holding means for holding an non-contact IC card; IC-card
communication means for communicating with the non-contact IC card
held in the holding means; display means; position detecting means
for detecting position information; and control means for causing
the display means to display information generated on the basis of
the position information detected by the position detecting means
and information read out from the non-contact IC card held in the
holding means by the IC-card communication means.
2. The IC-card holding apparatus according to claim 1,
characterized in that the holding means is capable of holding one
or more non-contact IC cards.
3. The IC-card holding apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising: type-corresponding-image storage means for storing an
image corresponding to each type of the non-contact IC card, the
IC-card holding apparatus being characterized in that the control
means determines the type of the held non-contact IC card on the
basis of the information read out from the non-contact IC card held
in the holding means by the IC-card communication means and reads
out an image corresponding to the determined type from the
type-corresponding-image storage means to cause the display means
to display the image.
4. The IC-card holding apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising: position-history storage means for storing position
history information, the IC-card holding apparatus being
characterized in that the control unit causes the position-history
storage means to store the position information detected by the
position detecting means along with date and time information as
the position history information, and in that the control unit uses
usage history information read out from the non-contact IC card
held in the holding means by the IC-card communication means and
the position history information stored in the position-history
storage means to cause the display means to display a
usage-history-information image to which the position information
is added.
5. The IC-card holding apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising: position-history storage means for storing position
history information; and map-data storage means for storing map
data, the IC-card holding apparatus being characterized in that the
control unit causes the position-history storage means to store the
position information detected by the position detecting means along
with date-and-tie information as the position history information,
and in that the control unit uses usage history information read
out from the non-contact IC card held in the holding means by the
IC-card communication means, the position history information
stored in the position-history storage means, and the map data
stored in the map-data storage means to cause the display means to
display a use position of the non-contact IC card on a map
image.
6. The IC-card holding apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising: external communication means for communicating with an
external server apparatus, the IC-card holding apparatus being
characterized in that the control unit causes the external
communication means to transmit a data request to the server
apparatus, the data request at least including the position
information detected by the position detecting means and type
information about the non-contact IC card determined on the basis
of information read out from the non-contact IC card held in the
holding means by the IC-card communication means, and causes the
display means to display an image based on provided data in
response to reception of the provided data transmitted from the
server apparatus in response to the data request by the external
communication means.
7. An IC-card holding apparatus characterized by comprising:
holding means for holding a non-contact IC card; IC-card
communication means for communicating with the non-contact IC card
held in the holding means; display means; type-corresponding-image
storage means for storing an image corresponding to each type of
the non-contact IC card; and control means for determining the type
of the held non-contact IC card on the basis of information read
out from the non-contact IC card held in the holding means by the
IC-card communication means and reading out an image corresponding
to the determined type from the type-corresponding-image storage
means to cause the display means to display the image.
8. A display method for an IC-card holding apparatus holding a
non-contact IC card, the display method being characterized by
comprising a step of detecting position information; a step of
communicating with the non-contact IC card held in the holding
means; and a step of generating or acquiring information to be
displayed on the basis of the position information and information
read out through the communication with the non-contact IC card to
display an image corresponding to the generated or acquired
information.
9. A display method for an IC-card holding apparatus holding a
non-contact IC card, the display method being characterized by
comprising: a step of communicating with the non-contact IC card
held in the holding means; a step of determining a type of the held
non-contact IC card on the basis of information read out through
the communication with the non-contact IC card; and a step of
displaying a type corresponding image corresponding to the
determined type.
10. A data providing system including an IC-card holding apparatus
and a server apparatus, the data providing system being
characterized in that the IC-card holding apparatus includes
holding means for holding an non-contact IC card; IC-card
communication means for communicating with the non-contact IC card
held in the holding means; display means; position detecting means
for detecting position information; external communication means
for communicating with the external server apparatus; and control
means for causing the external communication means to transmit a
data request to the server apparatus, the data request at least
including the position information detected by the position
detecting means and type information about the non-contact IC card
determined on the basis of information read out from the
non-contact IC card held in the holding means by the IC-card
communication means, and causing the display means to display an
image based on provided data in response to reception of the
provided data transmitted from the server apparatus in response to
the data request by the external communication means, and in that
the server apparatus includes communication means for communicating
with the IC-card holding apparatus; storage means for storing the
provided data; and control means for, in response to reception of
the data request from the IC-card holding apparatus by the
communication means, selecting a piece of provided data to be
transmitted from the pieces of provided data stored in the storage
means by using the position information and the type information
included in the data request and causing the communication means to
transmit the selected provided data to the IC-card holding
apparatus.
11. A server apparatus characterized by comprising: communication
means; storage means for storing provided data; and control means
for, in response to reception of a data request from an external
apparatus by the communication means, selecting a piece of provided
data to be transmitted from the pieces of provided data stored in
the storage means by using position information and type
information about a non-contact IC card included in the data
request and causing the communication means to transmit the
selected provided data to the external apparatus.
12. A data providing method characterized by comprising: a step of
receiving a data request from an external apparatus; a step of
selecting provided data to be transmitted by using position
information and type information about a non-contact IC card
included in the data request; and a step of transmitting the
selected provided data to the external apparatus.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an integrated circuit
(IC)-card holding apparatus capable of holding a non-contact IC
card and a display method in the IC-card holding apparatus. The
present invention also relates to a data providing system including
an IC-card holding apparatus and a server apparatus, a server
apparatus, and a data providing method in the server apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
Publication No. 2005-31803
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
Publication No. 2000-11251
Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
Publication No. 11-252157
[0002] A variety of data communication in close ranges using
non-contact IC cards is put into practical use. For example,
non-contact IC cards are practically used as tickets for railways
and others. Specifically, a reader-writer for a non-contact IC card
is provided at a ticket gate, and the non-contact IC card is made
close to the reader-writer when the non-contact IC card passes
through the ticket gate to read out data stored in the non-contact
IC card for authentication and so on.
[0003] And, non-contact IC cards are used as, for example,
electronic money cards and personal identification cards, such as
employee identification cards, in addition to the tickets.
[0004] When a non-contact IC card for electronic money is used,
communication is taken place in which the non-contact IC card is
held over a reader-writer provided in a shop upon purchase of an
article to, for example, withdraw the purchased amount from the
amount of money charged in the non-contact IC card.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0005] Such non-contact IC cards are in widespread use and a wide
variety of non-contact IC cards are provided depending on
applications and services. And, for example, in the case of
non-contact IC cards having electronic money functions, general
users are capable of using the non-contact IC cards as alternates
for wallets to improve the convenience.
[0006] And, it is required to further improve the convenience in
possession and usage of the non-contact IC cards as the non-contact
IC cards are more heavily used.
[0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
improve the convenience of users of non-contact IC cards. More
particularly, an object of the present invention is to allow easy
confirmation of the usage histories and the use positions of IC
cards for each type and to allow reception of information
corresponding to the type of each non-contact IC card that is
possessed.
Technical Solution
[0008] An IC-card holding apparatus of the present invention
includes holding means for holding an non-contact IC card; IC-card
communication means for communicating with the non-contact IC card
held in the holding means; display means; position detecting means
for detecting position information; and control means for causing
the display means to display information generated on the basis of
the position information detected by the position detecting means
and information read out from the non-contact IC card held in the
holding means by the IC-card communication means.
[0009] The holding means is capable of holding one or more
non-contact IC cards.
[0010] And, the IC-card holding apparatus further includes
type-corresponding-image storage means for storing an image
corresponding to each type of the non-contact IC card. The control
means determines the type of the held non-contact IC card on the
basis of the information read out from the non-contact IC card held
in the holding means by the IC-card communication means and reads
out an image corresponding to the determined type from the
type-corresponding-image storage means to cause the display means
to display the image.
[0011] And, the IC-card holding apparatus further includes
position-history storage means for storing position history
information. The control unit causes the position-history storage
means to store the position information detected by the position
detecting means along with date and time information as the
position history information, and the control unit uses usage
history information read out from the non-contact IC card held in
the holding means by the IC-card communication means and the
position history information stored in the position-history storage
means to cause the display means to display a
usage-history-information image to which the position information
is added.
[0012] And, the IC-card holding apparatus further includes
position-history storage means for storing position history
information; and map-data storage means for storing map data. The
control unit causes the position-history storage means to store the
position information detected by the position detecting means along
with date-and-tie information as the position history information,
and the control unit uses usage history information read out from
the non-contact IC card held in the holding means by the IC-card
communication means, the position history information stored in the
position-history storage means, and the map data stored in the
map-data storage means to cause the display means to display a use
position of the non-contact IC card on a map image.
[0013] And, the IC-card holding apparatus further includes external
communication means for communicating with an external server
apparatus. The control unit causes the external communication means
to transmit a data request to the server apparatus, the data
request at least including the position information detected by the
position detecting means and type information about the non-contact
IC card determined on the basis of information read out from the
non-contact IC card held in the holding means by the IC-card
communication means, and causes the display means to display an
image based on provided data in response to reception of the
provided data transmitted from the server apparatus in response to
the data request by the external communication means.
[0014] In addition, an IC-card holding apparatus of the present
invention includes holding means for holding a non-contact IC card;
IC-card communication means for communicating with the non-contact
IC card held in the holding means; display means;
type-corresponding-image storage means for storing an image
corresponding to each type of the non-contact IC card; and control
means for determining the type of the held non-contact IC card on
the basis of information read out from the non-contact IC card held
in the holding means by the IC-card communication means and reading
out an image corresponding to the determined type from the
type-corresponding-image storage means to cause the display means
to display the image.
[0015] A display method of the present invention, for an IC-card
holding apparatus holding a non-contact IC card, includes a step of
detecting position information; a step of communicating with the
non-contact IC card held in the holding means; and a step of
generating or acquiring information to be displayed on the basis of
the position information and information read out through the
communication with the non-contact IC card to display an image
corresponding to the generated or acquired information.
[0016] In addition, a display method of the present invention, also
for an IC-card holding apparatus holding a non-contact IC card,
includes a step of communicating with the non-contact IC card held
in the holding means; a step of determining a type of the held
non-contact IC card on the basis of information read out through
the communication with the non-contact IC card; and a step of
displaying a type corresponding image corresponding to the
determined type.
[0017] An information providing system of the present invention
includes an IC-card holding apparatus and a server apparatus. And,
the IC-card holding apparatus includes holding means for holding an
non-contact IC card; IC-card communication means for communicating
with the non-contact IC card held in the holding means; display
means; position detecting means for detecting position information;
external communication means for communicating with the external
server apparatus; and control means for causing the external
communication means to transmit a data request to the server
apparatus, the data request at least including the position
information detected by the position detecting means and type
information about the non-contact IC card determined on the basis
of information read out from the non-contact IC card held in the
holding means by the IC-card communication means, and causing the
display means to display an image based on provided data in
response to reception of the provided data transmitted from the
server apparatus in response to the data request by the external
communication means. And, the server apparatus includes
communication means for communicating with the IC-card holding
apparatus; storage means for storing the provided data; and control
means for, in response to reception of the data request from the
IC-card holding apparatus by the communication means, selecting a
piece of provided data to be transmitted from the pieces of
provided data stored in the storage means by using the position
information and the type information included in the data request
and causing the communication means to transmit the selected
provided data to the IC-card holding apparatus.
[0018] A server apparatus of the present invention includes
communication means; storage means for storing provided data; and
control means for, in response to reception of a data request from
an external apparatus by the communication means, selecting a piece
of provided data to be transmitted from the pieces of provided data
stored in the storage means by using position information and type
information about a non-contact IC card included in the data
request and causing the communication means to transmit the
selected provided data to the external apparatus.
[0019] A data providing method of the present invention includes a
step of receiving a data request from an external apparatus; a step
of selecting provided data to be transmitted by using position
information and type information about a non-contact IC card
included in the data request; and a step of transmitting the
selected provided data to the external apparatus.
[0020] In other words, according to the present invention described
above, the IC-card holding apparatus is capable of communicating
with the non-contact IC card held therein to read out information
from the non-contact IC card. This allows the IC-card holding
apparatus to obtain the type of the non-contact IC card held
therein and information about the usage history.
[0021] After determining the type of the non-contact IC card, the
IC-card holding apparatus is capable of displaying an image (type
corresponding image) corresponding to the type to present the type
of the non-contact IC card held therein.
[0022] And, the usage history can be read out to display the
readout usage history. At this time, it is possible to also
display, for example, information (place name or shop name) of a
position where the non-contact IC card is used and/or to present
the use position on the map image.
[0023] And, it is also possible to perform a process to receive the
provided data from the server apparatus in accordance with the
current position or the type of the non-contact IC card.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS
[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to
improve the availability, the convenience, and the usefulness of
one or more non-contact IC cards with the IC-card holding
apparatus.
[0025] First, the IC-card holding apparatus itself determines the
type of the non-contact IC card held therein to display a type
corresponding image. Accordingly, the user can immediately know the
type of the held non-contact IC card and there is no need to take
the trouble to confirm the type, for example, when the user uses
the non-contact IC card.
[0026] In addition, since the usage history of the non-contact IC
card is displayed along with the position information, it is
preferable in a case in which the user attempts to confirm the
usage history.
[0027] In addition, since the provided data is received from the
server apparatus in accordance with the current position or the
type of the non-contact IC card, for example, the user can receive
the provided data useful for the user, such as data indicating
advertisement of a shop where the non-contact IC card possessed by
the user (held in the IC-card holding apparatus) can be used or a
coupon for the shop.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates an appearance example of a mobile card
reader according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 includes diagrams illustrating usage states of the
mobile card reader according to the embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configurations of the
mobile card reader according to the embodiment and a non-contact IC
card.
[0031] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a server apparatus according to
an embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process when the non-contact IC
card is inserted, according to an embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 6 includes diagrams illustrating main images according
to embodiments.
[0034] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a storage process of position
history data according to an embodiment.
[0035] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a display process of a usage
history according to an embodiment.
[0036] FIG. 9 includes diagrams illustrating display examples of
the usage history according to embodiments.
[0037] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a process to display provided data
according to an embodiment.
[0038] FIG. 11 includes diagrams illustrating display examples of
the provided data according to embodiments.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0039] 1 mobile card reader, 2 display unit, 2a display panel
section, 3 holding unit, 4 operation unit, 10 system controller, 11
storage unit, 12 position detecting unit, 13 date-and-time counter
unit, 14 card-insertion detector, 15 IC-card communication unit, 16
network communication unit, 70 server apparatus, 72 server
controller unit, 73 communication unit, 74 information managing
unit, 77 image database, 78 contractor-information storage unit, 90
non-contact IC card
BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0040] Embodiments of an IC-card holding apparatus, a display
method, a data providing system, a server apparatus, and a data
providing method of the present invention will herein be described.
The IC-card holding apparatus is exemplified by a mobile card
reader here.
[0041] The description is offered in the following order:
[1. Appearance examples and usage examples of mobile card reader]
[2. Configurations of mobile card reader, non-contact IC card, and
server apparatus] [3. Determination of type of non-contact IC card
and display operation of type corresponding image] [4. Position
history storage process] [5. Usage history display operation] [6.
Provided data display operation] [7. Advantages of embodiments and
modification examples]
[1. Appearance Examples and Usage Examples of Mobile Card
Reader]
[0042] A mobile card reader 1 according to an embodiment is a
device capable of holding a non-contact IC card 90 therein. Various
aspects are supposed as shapes and appearances of the mobile card
reader 1. FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic example.
[0043] The mobile card reader 1 is a compact and light-weight
apparatus suitable for mobile use. As illustrated, the mobile card
reader 1 has a display panel 2a formed on its front surface. The
display panel 2a is formed of, for example, a liquid crystal
display panel or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display
panel.
[0044] And, a holding unit 3 capable of holding one or more
non-contact IC cards 90 is formed in the casing of the mobile card
reader 1. A user can freely take out and put the non-contact IC
card 90 which the user possesses from and in the holding unit 3.
The holding unit 3 may be formed so as to hold one non-contact IC
card 90 or may be formed so as to hold multiple non-contact IC
cards 90.
[0045] For example, non-contact IC cards for various applications
including electric money, transportation, personal identification,
etc. and non-contact IC cards for combinations of these various
applications exist as the non-contact IC card 90. And, heavily used
non-contact IC cards 90 exist depending on issuers. For example,
many types of non-contact IC cards 90 provided by different
companies and organizations also exist as the non-contact IC card
90 for electronic money. Accordingly, general users often possess
the non-contact IC cards 90 of multiple kinds. The users possessing
the multiple non-contact IC cards 90 may collectively store them in
the mobile card reader 1.
[0046] And, the mobile card reader 1 is provided with operators
used for user's operations, such as operation keys 4a.
[0047] Incidentally, in addition to the operation keys 4a or
without providing the operation keys 4a, a touch panel mechanism
may be provided on the display unit 2a and various operations may
be performed in response to touch operations in association with
the screen display. And, a dial operator, a touch pad operator,
etc. may be provided.
[0048] The mobile card reader 1 described above is used in manners
shown in FIG. 2 in a state in which the non-contact IC card 90 is
held in the mobile card reader 1.
[0049] FIG. 2(a) illustrates a reader-writer apparatus 100 provided
in, for example, a shop. The user of the mobile card reader 1
carries the mobile card reader 1 in a state in which the
non-contact IC card 90 is held in the holding unit 3 in the mobile
card reader 1. For example, when the user purchases an article in a
shop, the user directly makes the mobile card reader 1 close to the
reader-writer apparatus 100 or directly places the mobile card
reader 1 over the reader-writer apparatus 100, as in an example in
FIG. 2(b). At this time, as in an example in FIG. 2(c),
communication is established between the reader-writer apparatus
100 and the non-contact IC card 90 to perform a payment process
concerning the purchase of the article.
[0050] In other words, the non-contact IC card 90 held in the
mobile card reader 1 directly communicates with the reader-writer
apparatus 100. The mobile card reader 1 does not especially perform
the communication in this case and only functions as a card
holder.
[0051] Specifically, although the non-contact IC card 90 is usually
used with being directly placed over the reader-writer apparatus
100, the non-contact IC card 90 can be used in the same manner even
with being held in the mobile card reader 1.
[0052] As described below, the mobile card reader 1 functions as a
device that presents useful information to the user on the basis of
the type of the non-contact IC card 90 that is held and/or position
information that is sequentially detected.
[0053] And, as shown in FIG. 2(d), the mobile card reader 1 has a
function of communicating with a server apparatus 70 over a network
60. The mobile card reader 1 is also capable of displaying
information supplied from the server apparatus 70 in the display
panel 2a.
[0054] Various networks including the Internet, a mobile phone
communication network, a personal handyphone system (PHS)
communication network, an ad hoc network, and a local area network
(LAN) can be considered as the network 60.
[2. Configurations of Mobile Card Reader, Non-Contact IC Card, and
Server Apparatus]
[0055] A configuration example of the mobile card reader 1 will now
be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 also illustrates the
configuration of the non-contact IC card 90 held in the holding
unit 3 of the mobile card reader 1.
[0056] A system controller 10 is composed of a microcomputer
including, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a read
only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a non-volatile
memory unit, and an interface unit and serves as a control unit
controlling the entire mobile card reader 1. The system controller
10 performs a variety of arithmetic processing and exchanges
control signals, etc. with each component based on programs held in
the ROM, etc. to cause the component to perform a required
operation. And, for example, a device ID or the like assigned to
each mobile card reader 1 is stored in the non-volatile memory
unit.
[0057] A display unit 2 includes the display panel section 2a,
which is a liquid crystal panel or the like described above, and a
display driver displaying and driving the display panel section
2a.
[0058] The display driver includes a pixel driving circuit for
displaying image data supplied from the system controller 10 in the
display panel section 2a, which is a liquid crystal panel or the
like. The pixel driving circuit applies a driving signal based on a
video signal to each pixel arranged in a matrix pattern in the
display panel section 2a at predetermined horizontal and vertical
driving timing to perform the display.
[0059] A network communication unit 16 transmits and receives data
to and from an external device. The network communication unit 16
may be configured so as to perform the network communication, as
shown in FIG. 2(d), through short-range radio communication with,
for example, network access points by a method such as a wireless
LAN or Bluetooth or may directly perform wireless communication
with the external device having the corresponding communication
function.
[0060] The server apparatus 70 described below is supposed as the
external device that performs the communication.
[0061] A position detecting unit 12 is, for example, a global
positioning system (GPS) receiving unit. The GPS receiving unit
receives an electromagnetic wave from a GPS satellite and supplies
information about the latitude and longitude of the current
position to the system controller 10.
[0062] Incidentally, a position information service provided by
Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) or a mobile phone company may be used as
the position detecting unit 12 or a combination of such a service
and the GPS may be used as the position detecting unit 12.
[0063] A date-and-time counter unit 13 constantly counts a year,
month, date, hour, minute, and second and supplies the current
date-and-time information (year, month, date, hour, minute, and
second) to the system controller 10.
[0064] An operation unit 4 is configured so as to include, for
example, the operation keys 4a shown in FIG. 1 or operators
including a dial and so as to detect a user's operation as a key
operation or the like.
[0065] And, a touch pad or a touch panel may be provided as an
operator. For example, the touch panel is provided in the display
unit 2 and an operation input is performed with a touch operation
by the user on the display screen.
[0066] And, the touch panel, a cross key, a job dial, etc. may be
provided as an operator used for moving a pointer, such as a
cursor, on the screen.
[0067] Alternatively, the operation unit 4 may include, for
example, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a
vibration sensor, and/or a pressure sensor. The operation unit 4
may recognize, for example, an action of the user who vertically
and horizontally shakes the mobile card reader 1 itself as an
operation to allow, for example, a moving operation of the cursor
or the like on the screen to be executed. And, the operation unit 4
may recognize a behavior of the user who taps the casing of the
mobile card reader 1 or a behavior of the user who presses his/her
finger or the like on the part corresponding to the pressure sensor
as a certain operation.
[0068] Information about the operation with the operation unit 4 is
supplied to the system controller 10. The system controller 10
performs a required control process in accordance with the
operation information.
[0069] A storage unit 11 is used to store a variety of data.
[0070] This storage unit 11 may be a solid-state memory, such as a
RAM or a flash memory, or may be, for example, a hard disk drive
(HDD).
[0071] And, the storage unit 11 may be a recording-playback drive
supporting a portable recording medium, for example, supporting a
recording medium, such as a memory card, an optical disk, a
magneto-optical disk, or a hologram memory, including the
solid-state memory, instead of the built-in recording medium.
[0072] Obviously, both of the built-in type memory, such as the
solid-state memory or the HDD, and the recording-playback drive
supporting the portable recording medium may be included in the
storage unit 11.
[0073] The storage unit 11 records and stores the variety of data
under the control of the system controller 10. And, the storage
unit 11 reads out the recorded data under the control of the
storage unit 11 and supplies the readout data to the system
controller 10.
[0074] The storage unit 11 stores type information about the
non-contact IC card 90, for example, held in the holding unit 3.
Incidentally, the type information may be stored in an internal
memory of the system controller 10.
[0075] And, the storage unit 11 stores a map database in which map
drawing data and a place name, a name, etc. corresponding to each
piece of position information are registered. Incidentally, the map
database may not be stored, and information necessary for
processing may be received from a map database in the server
apparatus 70, etc. through the communication with the server
apparatus 70, etc. by the network communication unit 16, if needed,
to be temporarily stored.
[0076] And, the storage unit 11 stores position history data. The
position history data results from accumulating data in which the
position information (for example, latitude and longitude) detected
by the position detecting unit 12 is associated with the
corresponding date and time information. As described below with
reference to FIG. 7, the system controller 10 constantly performs
an additional storage process of the position history data.
[0077] And, the storage unit 11 may be used for buffering of data
about communication with the server apparatus 70 by the network
communication unit 16.
[0078] And, the storage unit 11 may be used for buffering of data
that is read out by an IC-card communication unit 15 described
below through communication with the non-contact IC card 90.
[0079] And, the storage unit 11 stores image data corresponding to
the various non-contact IC cards 90. For example, the storage unit
11 stores image data similar to a pattern drawn on the surface of
the non-contact IC card 90 as corresponding image data about the
non-contact IC card 90 of each type. Obviously, although the
corresponding image data is not restricted to the image data
similar to the pattern on the surface of the card, the
corresponding image data is preferably an image from which the user
can recognize the type of the card. Incidentally, the corresponding
image data may be stored in the internal memory of the system
controller 10.
[0080] As the corresponding image data, it is sufficient to store
images corresponding to the non-contact IC cards 90 within a type
range of the non-contact IC cards 90, which the mobile card reader
1 can support, in the storage unit 11 or the like in advance.
However, the corresponding image data may be received and acquired
from the server apparatus 70, etc. through, for example,
communication with the server apparatus 70, etc. by the network
communication unit 16, if needed, and the acquired corresponding
image data may be stored, instead of being stored in the storage
unit 11 or the internal memory of the storage unit 11 in
advance.
[0081] The IC-card communication unit 15 is capable of
communicating with the non-contact IC card 90 held in the holding
unit 3 to read out information from the non-contact IC card 90.
[0082] In general, a TypeA method, a TypeB method, and a near field
communication (NFC) method are known as the communication methods
for the non-contact IC card 90.
[0083] The TypeA method adopts a communication speed of 106 kbps,
amplitude-shift keying (ASK) 100% as the modulation method, and
Miller and Manchester encoding methods as the encoding methods.
[0084] The TypeB method adopts a communication speed of 106 kbps,
the ASK 10% as the modulation method, and Non-return-to-zero (NRZ)
method as the encoding method.
[0085] The NFC method adopts a communication speed of 212 kbps, the
ASK 10% as the modulation method, and the Manchester encoding
method as the encoding method.
[0086] It is sufficient for the IC-card communication unit 15 to
include a communication processing circuit system (encoder-decoder)
corresponding to a given communication method and an antenna unit.
The IC-card communication unit 15 may be provided with three
communication processing circuit systems corresponding to, for
example, the above respective three communication methods or may be
provided with one or two communication processing circuit
systems.
[0087] The provision of the three communication processing circuit
systems allows almost all the common non-contact IC cards 90 to be
supported. And, the provision of only one communication processing
circuit system, such as the NFC method, allows the non-contact IC
cards 90 of multiple kinds adopting the communication method to be
supported.
[0088] The holding unit 3 includes a card-insertion detector 14.
The card-insertion detector 14 detects insertion of the non-contact
IC card 90 and notifies the non-contact IC card 90 of the
insertion. The card-insertion detector 14 may be formed of a
mechanical switch mechanism or an optical detection mechanism using
a photocoupler or the like.
[0089] Incidentally, when the holding unit 3 is capable of holding
the multiple non-contact IC cards 90, the card-insertion detector
14 is configured so as to enable the detection of insertion or
removal of the respective non-contact IC cards 90.
[0090] The non-contact IC card 90 to be held in the holding unit 3
includes an IC chip including a control section 91, a storage
section 92, and a non-contact communication section 93 and an
antenna coil (not shown), as illustrated.
[0091] The control section 91 is composed of, for example, a CPU.
The control section 91 controls readout from and writing in the
storage section 92 and a communication operation by the non-contact
communication section 93.
[0092] The storage section 92 includes a ROM, a RAM, an
electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), and
so on and stores a variety of information.
[0093] The non-contact communication section 93 performs
non-contact wireless communication with the external reader-writer
apparatus 100 supporting the IC card and the IC-card communication
unit 15 in the mobile card reader 1.
[0094] This non-contact IC card 90 is made close to the
reader-writer apparatus 100 to perform communication with the
reader-writer apparatus by electromagnetic waves, as already
common. The side of the non-contact IC card 90 receives an
electromagnetic field generated by coil energization at the side of
the reader-writer apparatus to generate an operating voltage from a
voltage induced by the antenna coil in order to communicate with
the reader-writer apparatus. The communication with the IC-card
communication unit 15 is performed in the same manner.
[0095] The configuration of the server apparatus 70 will now be
described with reference to FIG. 4.
[0096] As described above with reference to FIG. 2(d), the server
apparatus 70 is an apparatus capable of transmitting provided data
to the mobile card reader 1 through the communication over, for
example, the network 60. For example, image data indicating article
advertisement and promotion of various shops and image data
indicating a coupon that can be used in purchase can be considered
as the provided data.
[0097] The server apparatus 70 includes a server controller unit
72, a network storage unit 71, a communication unit 73, an
information managing unit 74, a map database 75, a timer unit 76,
an image database 77, and a contractor-information storage unit
78.
[0098] The network storage unit 71 is realized by, for example, an
HDD. For example, the network storage unit 71 is used for buffering
or storage of transmission and reception data in communication with
the mobile card reader 1 or another network terminal device, is
used as an extended working area for the server controller unit 72,
or is used for storage of a variety of data.
[0099] The communication unit 73 performs data communication with
the network communication unit 16 in the mobile card reader 1 or a
communication unit in another network terminal device over the
network 60.
[0100] The server controller unit 72 performs operation control
required as the server apparatus 70. Particularly, the server
controller unit 72 performs a control operation for transmission of
the provided data to the mobile card reader 1.
[0101] The information managing unit 74, the map database 75, the
timer unit 76, the image database 77, and the
contractor-information storage unit 78 are parts that perform
operations for selecting the provided data to be transmitted to the
mobile card reader 1.
[0102] The map database 75 stores map information.
[0103] The timer unit 76 counts the current date and time (year,
month, date, hour, minute, and second).
[0104] The image database 76 stores a variety of provided data used
as, for example, advertisement image data and coupon image
data.
[0105] The contractor-information storage unit 78 has registered
information about a contractor who has contracted with the manager
of the server apparatus 70. The contractor is, for example, a
supplier providing advertisement or coupons. And, for example,
position information about each shop of the contracted supplier
(for example, the position of a shop dealing with the advertised
article or the position of a shop where the coupon can be used) and
the types of the non-contact IC cards 90 that can be used in the
shop are registered as the contractor information. Obviously, the
name of each contractor, identification information about each
contractor, the period of the contract, information specified in
the provided data provided by the contractor, and so on are also
registered in the contractor-information storage unit 78.
[0106] And, attribute information about general users to which each
contractor intends to provide the advertisement and coupons may be
registered in the contractor-information storage unit 78. For
example, the attribute information includes the age, gender, hobby,
and preference of each user.
[0107] The information managing unit 74 searches the image database
77 for the provided data to be transmitted to the mobile card
reader 1 in accordance with the position of the shop, which is the
contractor information, the types of the available non-contact IC
cards 90, the current date and time, the current position of the
mobile card reader 1, and so on.
[0108] The server controller unit 72 causes the communication unit
73 to transmit the provided data extracted from the image database
77 by the information managing unit 74 to the mobile card reader
1.
[0109] A communication operation between the mobile card reader 1
and the server apparatus 70 for this operation will be described
below.
[0110] The configurations of the mobile card reader 1 and the
server apparatus 70 described above are only examples. Obviously,
various components may be add to or removed from the mobile card
reader 1 and the server apparatus 70 depending on operation
examples and functions that are actually performed.
[3. Determination of Type of Non-Contact IC Card and Display
Operation of Type Corresponding Image]
[0111] A process performed by the system controller 10 in the
mobile card reader 1 when the non-contact IC card 90 is inserted in
the holding unit 3 will now be described with reference to FIG.
5.
[0112] When the user inserts the non-contact IC card 90 in the
holding unit 3 of the mobile card reader 1, information indicating
that the insertion of the card is detected is transmitted from the
card-insertion detector 14 to the system controller 10.
[0113] Upon detection of the insertion of the non-contact IC card
90, the system controller 10 advances the process from Step F101 in
FIG. 5 to Step F102 to perform a communication process with the
inserted non-contact IC card 90. Specifically, the system
controller 10 causes the IC-card communication unit 15 to perform
the communication operation to read out data from the non-contact
IC card 90. Particularly in this case, readout of information
necessary for identifying the type of the non-contact IC card 90 is
performed. For example, type identification information about the
non-contact IC card 90 itself is read out.
[0114] Incidentally, the system controller 10 does not know which
communication method is adopted by the non-contact IC card 90 that
is loaded by the user. Accordingly, if the IC-card communication
unit 15 is provided with the respective encoders-decoders for the
TypeA method, the TypeB method, and the NFC method, the system
controller 10 sequentially attempts communication by each
communication method. Establishment of communication by a certain
communication method determines the communication method adopted by
the inserted non-contact IC card 90. In this case, the
communication method should be executed to read out information
necessary for the type determination from the non-contact IC card
90.
[0115] Obviously, if the IC-card communication unit 15 supports
only one communication method, for example, the NFC method, the
communication with the inserted non-contact IC card 90 is attempted
by the supported communication method.
[0116] If the communication is disabled as the result of the
execution of the communication with the loaded non-contact IC card
90 by the IC-card communication unit 15, the system controller 10
advances the process from Step F103 to Step F107 to perform error
processing. For example, if the user inserts the non-contact IC
card 90 adopting a communication method that is not supported by
the mobile card reader 1 or a card other than the non-contact IC
card 90, the error processing is performed because of the
disablement of the communication.
[0117] As the error processing, the system controller 10 may
display a message presenting that the inserted card is not the
supported non-contact IC card 90 in, for example, the display unit
2 to draw the user's caution. And, the system controller 10
processes the inserted card as not being inserted. Specifically,
the system controller 10 performs no processing since then.
[0118] If the communication with the inserted non-contact IC card
90 is established, the process proceeds from Step F103 to Step F104
to determine the type of the card. Specifically, the system
controller 10 determines the type of the inserted non-contact IC
card 90 based on information read out from the inserted non-contact
IC card 90 through the communication by the IC-card communication
unit 15.
[0119] For example, the types of the non-contact IC cards 90 that
have names "Edy", "Suica", . . . and that are currently commonly
used are determined. In Step F105, an identification code, name
information, etc. corresponding to the determined card type are
stored in the storage unit 11 or in the internal memory of the
system controller 10 as the type information about the non-contact
IC card 90 currently held in the holding unit 3.
[0120] It is made possible for the system controller 10 to
determine the type of the non-contact IC card 90 that is currently
held in the above manner.
[0121] And, after the type information is stored, in Step F106, an
image (type-corresponding image data) corresponding to the card
type is read out and acquired from, for example, the storage unit
11 and the acquired type-corresponding image data is added and
displayed as main image display data. Incidentally, the
type-corresponding image data corresponding to the card type may be
acquired from the server apparatus 70, etc. through, for example,
the communication with the external server apparatus 70 by the
network communication unit 16.
[0122] The system controller 10 performs the process in FIG. 5 each
time the insertion of a card is detected. For example, if the
multiple non-contact IC cards 90 can be held in the holding unit 3,
the process in FIG. 5 is performed each time each card is
inserted.
[0123] Accordingly, the system controller 10 can constantly
determine the type of one or more non-contact IC cards 90 that are
currently held.
[0124] Examples of displayed main images are shown in FIG. 6. The
main images here are images which the system controller 10 causes
the display unit 2 to display in a normal state in which the users
especially perform no operation.
[0125] FIG. 6(a) shows a case in which one non-contact IC card 90
is held in the non-contact IC card 90. For example, it is assumed
that the "ABC" card shown in FIG. 1 is held. After the system
controller 10 recognizes the "ABC" card as the card type, the
system controller 10 adds the type-corresponding image data
corresponding to the "ABC" card to the main image in the above Step
F106. When the type-corresponding image data is, for example,
substantially the same image as the one printed on the card surface
of the "ABC" card, an image 30 substantially the same as the image
on the card surface of the "ABC" card is displayed in the display
panel 2a, as shown in FIG. 6(a).
[0126] FIG. 6(b) shows a case in which the two non-contact IC cards
90 are held. It is assumed that the "ABC" card and the "DEF" card
shown in FIG. 1 are held. In this case, the type-corresponding
image data for the respective cards is added to the main image to
display the images 30 substantially the same as the images on the
card surfaces of the respective cards, as illustrated.
[0127] FIG. 6(c) shows a case in which the four non-contact IC
cards 90 are held. Also in this case, the type-corresponding image
data for the respective cards is added to the main image to display
the images 30 substantially the same as the images on the card
surfaces of the respective cards, as illustrated.
[0128] As described above, displaying the image 30 corresponding to
the type of each non-contact IC card 90 that is held in the display
panel 2a allows the user of the mobile card reader 1 to recognize
the type of the held non-contact IC card 90 without taking the
trouble to take out each non-contact IC card 90 from the holding
unit 3 and confirm the type of the non-contact IC card 90.
[0129] Accordingly, for example, it is convenient for the case in
which the non-contact IC card 90 is used with being held in the
mobile card reader 1, as in the example in FIG. 2(b).
[0130] Incidentally, the type-corresponding image data may not be
necessarily substantially the same as the image on the card
surface. For example, even if the type-corresponding image data is
a character image indicating the card name, a logo image for every
card type, an image indicating an advertising character, or the
like, the user can determine the type of each card that is held
from the main display.
[0131] Furthermore, the type-corresponding image data may be an
arbitrary image that is generally supposed not to specify the card
type necessarily. Image data about an image that is arbitrarily
selected or created for each card type by the user may be used as
the type-corresponding image data.
[0132] And, menu items may be displayed together on the main image.
For example, it can be considered that operation menus or the likes
for usage history display, map display, etc. described below, are
displayed.
[0133] Incidentally, when the holding unit 3 is configured so as to
hold only one non-contact IC card 90, the transmittivity of the
display panel 2a is controlled to normally make the display panel
2a transparent or translucent in order to allow visual recognition
of the card surface of the held non-contact IC card 90. Obviously,
also when only one non-contact IC card 90 can be held, the main
image including the type-corresponding image data may be displayed,
as in the case in FIG. 6(a).
[4. Position History Storage Process]
[0134] The mobile card reader 1 in this example constantly performs
a position history storage process. FIG. 7 shows the position
history storage process performed by the system controller 10.
[0135] The system controller 10 periodically performs the process
in FIG. 7 at certain timing, for example, for every few seconds or
for every few minutes, which is position detection timing.
[0136] At the position detection timing, the system controller 10
proceeds from Step F201 to Step F202 to acquire the current
position information. Specifically, the system controller 10
acquires the position information (latitude and longitude) detected
by the position detecting unit 12.
[0137] And, in Step F203, the system controller 10 acquires the
current date and time information (year, month, date, hour, minute,
and second) from the date-and-time counter unit 13.
[0138] Then, in Step F204, the system controller 10 stores the
current position information in association with the current date
and time information as the position history data. For example, the
storage unit 11 includes an area in which the position history data
is stored, and these position information and date and time
information are added as the position history data to be stored in
the area.
[0139] For example, periodically performing the process in FIG. 7
causes the position information in association with the action of
the user carrying the mobile card reader 1 to be stored along with
the date and time information as the position history data.
[0140] The storage of such position history data allows the system
controller 10 to determine the position of the mobile card reader 1
at a specified past date and time (the position where the user
carrying the mobile card reader 1 existed).
[0141] Incidentally, the addition and registration process of the
position history data in FIG. 7 may be performed, for example, if a
shift in position occurs, in addition to periodic performance. For
example, the system controller 10 monitors the position information
detected by the position detecting unit 12 and, if a variation in
the position information occurs, the system controller 10 may
perform a process to add the varied position information and the
date and time information at that time as the position history
data.
[5. Usage History Display Operation]
[0142] The mobile card reader 1 can display a usage history of the
non-contact IC card 90 held therein. For example, the mobile card
reader 1 displays the usage history in response to a user's
operation to require the display of the usage history.
[0143] As the user's operation in this case, the user may use an
operator such as the operation key 3a or may instruct the display
of the usage history with a touch operation if the display panel 2a
has a touch panel function.
[0144] And, if the multiple non-contact IC cards 90 are held, an
operation method can be considered in which the image of the
non-contact IC card 90 whose history is to be displayed is touched,
for example, on the corresponding main image shown in FIG. 6 in
order to select a card whose usage history is to be displayed.
[0145] If the display of the usage history is required with a
user's operation, the system controller 10 advances a process in
FIG. 8 from Step F301 to Step F302. In Step F302, the system
controller 10 causes the IC-card communication unit 15 to perform
the communication with the non-contact IC card 90 and to read out
usage history information from the non-contact IC card 90.
Incidentally, if the multiple non-contact IC cards 90 are held, the
non-contact IC card 90 whose usage history to be displayed is
selected with a user's operation. In this case, the system
controller 10 obviously causes the IC-card communication unit 15 to
perform the communication with the selected non-contact IC card
90.
[0146] After the usage history information is read out from the
non-contact IC card 90, in Step F303, the position information is
associated with each usage history item.
[0147] Normally, the date and time of transaction, the charged
amount of money, the payment amount of money, the balance, etc. are
stored as the item of each usage in the usage history information
stored in the non-contact IC card 90 for electronic money but the
use position is not stored therein.
[0148] Accordingly, in Step F303, the position information
indicating the use position is added to each item in the usage
history.
[0149] As described above with reference to FIG. 7, since the
system controller 10 adds and stores the position history data, for
example, periodically, the position history data up to the current
date and time is accumulated in the storage unit 11.
[0150] Accordingly, the date and time of transaction in the usage
history information read out from the non-contact IC card 90 can be
checked against the date and time information included in the
position history data to determine the position information
indicating the transaction position of each transaction item in the
usage history information.
[0151] For example, in Step F303, the usage history information is
checked against the position history data in the above manner to
determine the position information (latitude and longitude)
corresponding to each item in the usage history.
[0152] Then in Step F304, the system controller 10 determines the
address, the name, etc. of the position from the position
information (latitude and longitude) associated with each item in
the usage history.
[0153] Specifically, the map database stored in the storage unit 11
is searched by using the position information to acquire the
address and the name, for example, the name of a shop,
corresponding to the latitude and longitude as the position
information.
[0154] After the above processing is performed, in Step F305, the
system controller 10 causes the display unit 2 to display the usage
history information. A display example is shown in FIG. 9(a).
[0155] As in the example in FIG. 9(a), the respective items in the
usage history of the non-contact IC card 90 are listed as a usage
history image 31. And, information indicating a position, such as
the name of a shop, is added to each item as the position where the
non-contact IC card 90 is used.
[0156] Displaying such a usage history allows the user to also
confirm the use positions of the non-contact IC card 90, in
addition to the dates and times, the amounts of money, etc. of
transactions using the non-contact IC card 90.
[0157] In addition, for example, a forward button 32 is displayed
on the screen to allow the user who selects the forward button 32
to perform scrolling display or paging display of the items in the
usage history. Obviously, the operation key 4a may be used to
perform the scrolling display or the like.
[0158] In this example, map display concerning the usage history is
also made available.
[0159] For example, when the items of the usage history shown in
FIG. 9(a) are displayed, the user can perform a certain operation,
such as a touch operation or a cursor operation/enter operation, to
select an item in the usage history in order to require the map
display.
[0160] After the usage history is displayed in Step F305, in Step
F306, the system controller 10 monitors a map display operation.
Then, in Step F307, the system controller 10 monitors an operation
for terminating the display of the usage history.
[0161] If the user's operation to require the map display is
detected, the system controller 10 advances the process from Step
F306 to Step F308. In Step F308, the position information
associated with an item specified by the user, among the items in
the used history, is used to read out the map data (map drawing
data) for display from the map database in the storage unit 11. For
example, the map data with which the map is to be drawn within a
range substantially around the position information (latitude and
longitude) indicating the use position is read out.
[0162] Then, in Step F309, the map image and pointers indicating
the use positions are displayed. FIG. 9(b) shows a display
example.
[0163] For example, a map image 33 is displayed as illustrated and
a pointer 35 is used on the map image to indicate the use position.
For example, if the user selects an item <3> in the usage
history in FIG. 9(a) to require the map display, it is preferred
that the pointer 35 corresponding to the item <3> be
displayed at a substantial center of the map, as in the example in
FIG. 9(b).
[0164] Displaying the use position in the map display in the above
manner allows the user to more accurately confirm the use position
of the non-contact IC card 90.
[0165] Incidentally, in the example in FIG. 9(b), the pointer 35
corresponding to an item <6> is also displayed in the map.
For example, if another history item exists at a position near the
position information about the selected item <3> (a position
included in the map image 33 that is being displayed), such an item
that is not selected may also be displayed with the pointer.
[0166] And, forward buttons 34 and the likes are displayed on the
screen where the map is displayed and the user selects any of the
forward buttons 34 to allow the scrolling display of the map image
or the display of moving to an adjacent block on the map.
Obviously, the operation keys 4a may be used to perform the
scrolling display or the like. And, it is also better to make a
change in scale of the map operable.
[0167] Furthermore, if the position of another item that is not
selected can be displayed with the pointer 35 in response to a
change in the display range of the map due to the scrolling, the
change in scale, or the like, it is preferred to display the
pointer 35 at the position.
[0168] And, if the user performs an operation to select the pointer
35 in the map display and detailed information at the position (of
a shop, etc.) is acquired from, for example, the map database or an
uniform resource locator (URL) etc. corresponding to the position
information is added to the map database or the like, it may be
possible to access a Web site where the shop is introduced through
the communication by the network communication unit 16 to perform
browsing.
[0169] If the user performs an operation to terminate the map
display, the system controller 10 returns the process from Step
F310 to Step F305 to return the display content in the display unit
2 to the display of the usage history information as in FIG.
9(a).
[0170] And, if the user performs the display termination operation
while the usage history is displayed in Step F305, the system
controller 10 advances the process from Step F307 to Step F311 to
perform a process to terminate the display of the usage history.
For example, the system controller 10 performs a process to
terminate the display in FIG. 9(a) and return the display to the
main screen, as shown in FIG. 5.
[0171] Performing the above processing by the system controller 10
causes the usage history of the non-contact IC card 90 that is held
to be displayed along with the use position and allows the user to
confirm the use position. And, it is also possible for the user to
confirm the use position on the map. Consequently, the user can
very easily confirm the usage history of the non-contact IC card
90.
[0172] Incidentally, it may be possible to heavily use the methods
of processing the usage history and the map display. For example,
if the user specifies a place name, a region, etc. to perform the
map display and, at that time, the use position exists in the
displayed map range, it may be possible to perform a process to
display the pointers, as shown in FIG. 9(b).
[0173] And, although the map database is stored in the storage unit
11 in the mobile card reader 1 in this example, it may be possible
to perform a method of using the map database 75 at the side of the
server apparatus 70. Specifically, the system controller 10 causes
the network communication unit 16 to transmit the position
information about the item that is selected in the history to the
server apparatus 70 to require the map data.
[0174] At the side of the server apparatus 70, data used for
drawing the map around the position information is extracted from
the map database 75 in response to the request for the map data and
the extracted data is transmitted to the mobile card reader 1. This
enables the display, as in the example in FIG. 9(b), even if the
mobile card reader 1 side is not provided with the map
database.
[6. Provided Data Display Operation]
[0175] The mobile card reader 1 performs an operation to acquire
information (provided data) useful for the user from the server
apparatus 70 depending on the type of the non-contact IC card 90
that is held and to present the acquired information to the user. A
display operation of the provided data will now be described.
[0176] As processes to display the provided data, FIG. 10 shows a
process performed by the system controller 10 in the mobile card
reader 1 and a process performed by the server apparatus 70.
[0177] The system controller 10 in the mobile card reader 1
performs the process including Step F401 and the subsequent steps,
for example, periodically. Incidentally, the process may not be
periodically performed. For example, the process may be performed
if the user performs an operation to require the provided data or
may be performed if a shift in position is recognized when the
current position information is constantly monitored.
[0178] In Step F401, the system controller 10 acquires the current
position information (latitude and longitude) from the position
detecting unit 12.
[0179] Then, in Step F402, the system controller 10 causes the
network communication unit 16 to transmit a data request to the
server apparatus 70. The data request should include the apparatus
ID, which is the individual identification information about the
mobile card reader 1, the current position information acquired in
Step F401, and the card type information about the non-contact IC
card 90 that is currently held. The card type information is
identification information that is determined when the non-contact
IC card 90 is loaded in FIG. 5 described above. If the multiple
non-contact IC cards 90 are held, the card type information about
the respective non-contact IC cards 90 should be included.
[0180] After the data request is transmitted in the above manner,
in Steps F403 and F404, the system controller 10 waits for
reception from the server apparatus 70.
[0181] After the communication unit 73 confirms reception of the
data request from the mobile card reader 1, the server controller
unit 72 in the server apparatus 70 advances the process from Step
F501 to Step F502 to instruct the information managing unit 74 to
perform selection of the provided data to be transmitted to the
mobile card reader 1. Specifically, the server controller unit 72
notifies the information managing unit 74 of the position
information included in the data request from the mobile card
reader 1 and the type information about the non-contact IC card 90
to perform Steps F502 and F503.
[0182] In Step F502, the information managing unit 74 refers to the
contractor information in the contractor-information storage unit
78 based on the position information included in the data request
from the mobile card reader 1. Then, the information managing unit
74 extracts a contractor a shop or the like of which exists near
the position information included in the data request from the
mobile card reader 1.
[0183] Then, in Step F503, the information managing unit 74 selects
the provided data to be transmitted to the mobile card reader 1
based on the card type information included in the data request
from the mobile card reader 1 and the contractor information.
[0184] For example, the card type(s) in the contractor information
about the contractor extracted in the above Step F502 is confirmed.
In other words, the card type(s) that can be used in the shop, etc.
of the contractor is confirmed. Then, a contractor who can use the
non-contact IC card 90 of the type indicated by the card type
information transmitted from the mobile card reader 1 for payment,
etc. is extracted.
[0185] With the above steps, the contractor who can use the
non-contact IC card 90 held in the mobile card reader 1 is
extracted near the position of the current mobile card reader 1.
The information managing unit 74 selects the image data indicating
the advertisement or coupon provided by the extracted contractor
from the image database as the current provided data.
[0186] The server controller unit 72 performs transmission control
in response to the above processing by the information managing
unit 74.
[0187] First, if a processing result indicating that no provided
data exists is notified from the information managing unit 74, the
server controller unit 72 proceeds from Step F504 to Step F505 to
cause the communication unit 73 to transmit notification of no
provided data to the mobile card reader 1.
[0188] For example, it is determined that no provided data exists
if the shop or the like of the contractor does not exist near the
position of the current mobile card reader 1 or if the shop or the
like of the contractor exists near the position of the current
mobile card reader 1 but the non-contact IC card 90 that is
currently held in the mobile card reader 1 cannot be used in the
shop and the like, and the notification of no provided data is
transmitted to the mobile card reader 1.
[0189] If the system controller 10 in the mobile card reader 1
receives the notification of no provided data from the server
apparatus 70, the system controller 10 returns from Step F403 to
Step F401.
[0190] In contrast, if the information managing unit 74 selects a
certain piece of provided data and reads out the provided data from
the image database 77, the server controller unit 72 proceeds to
Step F506 to cause the communication unit 73 to transmit the
provided data to the mobile card reader 1.
[0191] If the system controller 10 in the mobile card reader 1
receives the provided data from the server apparatus 70, the system
controller 10 proceeds from Step F404 to Step F405 to perform
display control of the provided data. Specifically, the system
controller 10 causes the display unit 2 to perform the display
based on the provided data received with the network communication
unit 16.
[0192] FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) show display examples based on the
provided data. FIG. 11(a) shows an example in which a coupon image
36 provided as the provided data is displayed. And, FIG. 11(b)
shows an example in which an article advertisement image 37
provided as the provided data is displayed.
[0193] Since the article advertisement or coupon for the shop or
the like which is near the position where the user currently exists
and where the non-contact IC card 90 carried by the user can be
used is provided as the result of the above operation performed by
the mobile card reader 1 and the server apparatus 70, it is
possible to provide effective and timely information or service to
the user of the mobile card reader 1.
[0194] Incidentally, the provided data is not restricted to the
image data and may be character data. And, the content of the
provided data is not restricted to the article advertisement or
coupon. For example, a variety of content including information
about a guide or a special service to the user of the non-contact
IC card 90, an announcement of a new usage, and event information
can be considered as the content of the provided data.
[0195] And, when the information managing unit 74 in the server
apparatus 70 selects the provided data, the provided data
indicating the advertisement or coupon corresponding to the current
date and time may be selected by referring to the current date and
time counted by the timer unit 76. For example, it is possible to
select the provided data of the content, such as a time-limited
bargain or discount information, based on the date and time.
[0196] And, information about the user of the mobile card reader 1
may be registered and managed in the server apparatus 70 to use the
information for the selection of the provided data. For example,
information indicating the gender, age, hobby, preference, etc. of
the user is registered in association with the apparatus ID of the
mobile card reader 1. In this case, when the information managing
unit 74 selects the provided data, the gender, age, hobby,
preference, etc. of the user can be determined from the apparatus
ID to select the provided data of the content, such as the article
advertisement, corresponding to the determined information. This
allows provision of information corresponding to the preference,
etc. of each user.
[7. Advantages of Embodiments and Modification Examples]
[0197] According to the mobile card reader 1 of the above
embodiments, it is possible to improve the availability, the
convenience, and the usefulness concerning the use of the
non-contact IC card 90 which the user possesses.
[0198] First, when the non-contact IC card 90 is held in the mobile
card reader 1, the type corresponding image of the non-contact IC
card 90 that is held is displayed in the display unit 2.
Accordingly, the user can immediately know the type of the
non-contact IC card 90 that is held and there is no need to take
the trouble to confirm the type, for example, when the user uses
the non-contact IC card 90.
[0199] And, displaying the usage history of the non-contact IC card
90 along with the position information (such as the name of a shop)
allows the user to more accurately confirm the usage history.
[0200] And, the provided data is received from the server apparatus
70 in accordance with the type and the current position of the
non-contact IC card 90 held in the mobile card reader 1 and the
received provided data is displayed in the mobile card reader 1.
Accordingly, the user can timely receive the provided data useful
for the user, such as data indicating the advertisement of a shop
where the non-contact IC card 90 which the user possesses (which is
held in the IC-card holding apparatus) can be used or the coupon
for the shop.
[0201] These advantages allow the non-contact IC card 90 to be
easily and conveniently used. And, the user having the multiple
non-contact IC cards 90 can collectively hold the non-contact IC
cards 90 in the mobile card reader 1 to improve the
convenience.
[0202] The present invention is not restricted to the above
embodiments and various modifications may be considered as
configuration examples and process examples of the mobile card
reader 1 and the server apparatus 70.
[0203] For example, the server apparatus 70 may transmit audio data
or movie data to the mobile card reader 1 as the provided data.
Preparing an audio output system at the side of the mobile card
reader 1 allows the user to also enjoy the audio provided data.
* * * * *